


Baker Street

by mystified_mint



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Baker!Akechi, M/M, arguably just a bunch of drabbles in a trenchcoat, but hopefully it still flows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 23:40:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30046560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mystified_mint/pseuds/mystified_mint
Summary: Akira follows Ann to the bakery once and encounters the famous Goro Akechi.It's not the last time he goes, nor the last encounter between them.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 6
Kudos: 62





	Baker Street

“It should be around here,” Ann mumbled to herself, scanning the line of stores by the train station.

“What did you say it was called again?” Akira chimed in as he walked up behind her.

“Baker Street!” she suddenly exclaimed, spotting the sign at that very moment. “Oh, there’s not even a crowd right now! We must’ve come at the perfect time!”

Amused by her enthusiasm, Akira followed Ann inside, surveying the bakery curiously as they stepped through the entrance. The smell of fresh bread immediately wrapped around them, as warm and comforting as it was appetizing.

“Huh,” was the first thing Akira said. “It’s smaller than I expected,” was the next. Given all the gossip and rave reviews, he’d envisioned something grander.

Glancing toward the counter, he soon spotted a young man that appeared to be around their age. Wearing an apron with his hair tied up, Akira assumed he was a baker’s assistant. However, when Ann gasped in delight, Akira noticed she looked a bit starstruck.

“Who’s that?” he decided to ask.

“Goro Akechi.”

It clicked in his head.

Goro Akechi, the founder of Baker Street, who’d taken the local dessert scene by storm. While Baker Street sold plenty of breads, the sweets seemed to be the real showstoppers. From cakes to cookies to cream-filled confections, countless had praised the bakery’s wide selection. For the second time since he’d stepped into the store, Akira found himself caught off guard.

“He looks so… young.”

“Yeah, he is,” Ann confirmed once she’d settled down. “I know you didn’t really research this place, but how did you manage to miss that part?”

Akira offered her a sheepish shrug, earning an exasperated yet fond eye roll. Regardless, Ann didn’t linger on the subject, redirecting her attention to the actual goods. She took her time browsing, though Akira had a feeling it was only a matter of time before the desserts drew her in. A few minutes later, he was proven correct, as Ann approached the register to make her request.

“Two slices of strawberry shortcake, and this tin of cookies, please!”

“Alright, let me just pack that up for you,” Akechi responded politely. 

Akira watched as Akechi pulled the cake from the display, then proceeded to slice it with practiced ease. Casually yet carefully, he tucked the slices into a box, then in one fluid motion, he presented them to Ann. “Would you like the cake and cookies in the same bag?” he prompted her with the most dazzling of smiles. It was a face that begged to be on camera, and Akira realized right then the bakery’s second selling point. 

Ann smiled back, just as picture perfect, and Akechi seemed momentarily impressed. The rest of the transaction went off without a hitch, and just like that, they were ready to go.

“Enjoy your date!”

Or at least they were, until that farewell made them both turn.

“Oh no, it’s not for a date!” Ann instantly corrected him.

“Not with me, anyway,” Akira teased as he recalled her eagerness to see Shiho. “I’m totally single,” he added without thinking, then paused as soon as he heard himself.

Akechi raised an eyebrow, visibly amused, before leaning forward to address him. “Well then, does the single man want anything? It’d be a shame if you left empty-handed.” 

Somehow the remark sounded like a challenge, and inexplicably, Akira rose to it. Looking to the variety of breads on his right, he walked over and grabbed a pre-wrapped one at random. Wordlessly, he placed it in front of Akechi, whose pleasant smile had grown into a grin. 

“Ah, that’s an excellent choice. Will you be needing a bag?”

When Akira followed Ann out, curry bun in hand, he couldn’t figure out if he’d been played.

* * *

The curry bun was delicious. Akira had to admit it. Naturally, it was no surprise that Ann went back to the bakery. It  _ was _ a surprise to hear later, however, that Akechi had actually asked her about him.

“It sounded like he was hoping to see you again.”

“See me, or my easily extracted money?”

Ann let out a laugh. “Maybe that, too, but I have a pretty good feeling about him.” 

Akira could tell what she was getting at even without her saying it outright, and while he wanted to say that Akechi wasn’t his type, it would’ve been an obvious lie. The baker was attractive and brimming with charm. Everything about him had been appealing. Akira hadn’t dated properly in a while, but evidently he was still predictable.

That wasn’t why he’d gone again, though. Of course not. He’d never live it down. He’d only mentioned it in passing to Yusuke and Futaba because they’d already been in the area.

“Oooh, I want a chocolate cornet!” Futaba’s eyes sparkled as she peered at the trays. Then, remembering Akechi’s presence, she shuffled behind Yusuke and lowered her voice. “Um… What do you want?”

Totally unfazed, Yusuke took his time, eyeing up every baked good on display. Upon deciding they were unsatisfactory, he directed his focus towards the cakes. He spent a solid minute staring at the options before honing in on a soft pink roll cake. “Sakura,” he read out the flavor, prompting Futaba to peer out from her hiding spot. 

“I will take the Sakura Roll Cake,” Yusuke announced with purpose, smiling broadly. He briefly made eye contact with Futaba, who proceeded to flush red and scramble behind Akira. Akira snickered slightly into his hand, earning a curious glance from Akechi. However, when Akira looked, Akechi shot him a smile, and suddenly his own face felt a bit warm.

* * *

Though he tried to keep it hidden from Ann, Akira ended up becoming a regular at Baker Street. While he didn’t have the biggest appetite for baked goods himself, he knew his friends well enough to treat them often. Several of them were too busy to come over themselves, so Akira took the initiative and brought food to them.

A classic anpan for Makoto.

A delicate tiramisu for Haru.

For Morgana, some fluffy milk bread, and for Ryuji-

_ “Yakisoba pan?” _

Akira paused at Akechi’s tone. “...Yes? Is there something wrong with that?” Those few words had been more than enough for him to hear both disbelief and distress.

Quickly remembering himself, Akechi fumbled with the roll of bags behind the counter. “No, no, my apologies. I just wasn’t expecting that today…”

Sensing there was more that he wasn’t saying, Akira leaned in, expression open. “Are there any other breads you’d recommend instead?”

“...The sausage rolls are quite delicious.”

Once noodles had been swapped for meat and the price of each item had been tallied up, Akechi didn’t hesitate to apply a discount, waving Akira off when he tried to protest. In a hushed voice, the baker admitted that he’d completely forgotten the yakisoba pan. They were so rarely chosen from the bakery’s wide selection that he’d occasionally left a batch out for too long.

“I should really be more careful… With a business like this, I can’t afford to be sloppy.”

“Is this whole thing a one-man operation?”

“I occasionally have part-timers, but working alone suits me.”

“Do you prefer it? Being on your own?”

“I’m accustomed to it.” Akechi appeared thoughtful. “I certainly wouldn’t mind having someone around often if they could keep up with me, though.”

* * *

“You don’t like strawberries?” Akira questioned countless weeks into their routine. He glanced incredulously at the desserts right beside them, a solid quarter of which included said fruit.

“I see why they’re popular,” Akechi offered, “but they’re completely overrated.” Seeing the weary look on his face, Akira couldn’t help but laugh. 

“So you’re a faker,” he accused lightly, “selling whipped cream-covered lies.”

“I’m a  _ baker _ ,” Akechi countered easily, “who knows how to cater to tastes beyond my own. It’s not like I need to sample all my products. The recipes I’ve been using are clearly effective.”

“Are they not your own recipes?” The phrasing piqued Akira’s curiosity. However, he instantly regretted asking when Akechi noticeably stiffened.

“Some of them… were my mother’s,” Akechi answered before Akira could take it back. “The sweeter ones especially. They’re not quite my taste, but I can tell they’re good recipes.” Akira didn’t comment on the use of past tense, but Akechi still knew that he’d caught on. “She passed away when I was still a child. I held onto her recipe journal.”

Stunned at the deeply personal confession, Akira fought the urge to check his surroundings. There never seemed to be anyone else around when they talked, yet he still felt the need to guard the secret he’d been given. Once he’d decided to frequent Baker Street, his next step had been catching up on all the gossip he’d ignored, and that’s how he knew that despite numerous interviews, Akechi had never breathed a word about his family.

“Thank you for telling me,” he responded sincerely, peering up through his bangs.

Akechi looked like he was going to say more, before the sound of someone entering sent them both reeling.

* * *

“So, what would you say the best item is? You’ve purchased most of the selection, so I’d love to know.”

“Uhhh…” Akira hesitated, rubbing his neck. “...I know the curry bun was good, but I haven’t tried anything else.” He cringed internally when Akechi frowned.

“You only had the curry bun that first time. Have you been making purchases exclusively for other people?” Reluctantly, Akira nodded, earning something close to a scowl. “How the- You’ve come here so many times! Don’t  _ you _ want anything?”

“Isn’t the company enough?”

Akechi’s face immediately blanked.

For several seconds, he simply stared. Then, abruptly, he turned towards the kitchen. “Wait here,” he ordered before stepping out of view, sounding sterner than Akira had ever heard him.

Feeling a bit like a scolded child, Akira shifted awkwardly where he stood. Several moments passed before Akechi returned, shoving a box into Akira’s hands.

“Here.” The motion was forceful enough to startle him. “Everything inside is as fresh as can be. Don’t wait too long to eat them. I expect feedback next time.”

“Um-” Akira prepared to ask about the payment.

“Consider it a free sample for your continued patronage,” Akechi answered before he could. It sounded more like a threat than an offer, but Akira couldn’t see any reason to refuse.

When he went home to investigate the box, he was confronted with an entire assortment of breads. Most notably, there was another curry bun, as well as a loaf of yakisoba pan. Alongside these breads, within a smaller box, sat a thick slice of cake and a trio of tarts. Decidedly glad that he hadn’t had lunch, Akira plucked out a cheese tart and began eating.

Everything was warm and fresh as promised, and the next time they met, Akechi was openly smug.

* * *

It was just another morning when Akira walked in, prepared to greet Akechi as usual. However, he nearly froze in the doorway when he processed what exactly he was seeing.

“Y-You wear glasses?” Akira gaped.

“I prefer not to, but yes, when it’s necessary.” Akechi pushed the frames up when they slipped down his nose. “Contacts are much more convenient when baking.”

Akira could’ve made small talk over the situation. For fun, he could’ve exposed how his own glasses were just for show.

“Go on a date with me,” he blurted out instead, clasping Akechi’s hand above the counter.

“...Really? Glasses? That’s all it took?” Akechi wore a smirk that was unfamiliar yet fitting. “I was wondering when you’d finally make a move. To think I could’ve saved myself so much time.”

“Wait, did Ann say something to you?” Akira asked when the possibility hit him.

“Your model friend? She didn’t need to. Did you think you were subtle?”

And there it was again... that challenging tone. The same one Akechi had hooked him with months ago. Deciding he could work through his embarrassment later, Akira brushed his thumb over the hand he was still holding. Curious, Akechi tilted his head, waiting to see what he’d do next. His eyes widened when Akira suddenly dove forward-

-and stopped no more than an inch away.

“So then, about that date?” His breath ghosted over Akechi’s face. Akechi didn’t know whether to kill him or kiss him.

“I’m free after work,” he replied instead.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [#FriendsgivingButInMarch](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FriendsgivingButInMarch?src=hashtag_click), specifically for [waffletop](https://twitter.com/waffletop_). The idea of a Bakery AU was super cute, so I hope I did it justice!
> 
> To everyone else, I read and cherish every comment, so please let me know what you think! I've never written for P5 before, so this was definitely a challenge.


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